Back to the Underground
by lishanicole
Summary: Sarah is haunted by frightening dreams of the Labyrinth and the past which she has locked away, completely forgotten. But her memories resurface when she is forced to return to the Underground, where she must face Jareth again... Please Read and Review!
1. Dreams of a forgotten place

Just a quick note and a standard disclaimer: It is not mine. *pouts* Not an ounce of it. I do not own the movie Labyrinth or any of the wonderful characters from that most fantastic film. *hangs her head sadly and sighs* Those are all the property of Jim Henson and Company. I am, however, playing with them most joyfully. *smiles mischievously* It's all in good fun. So, please don't sue me. I don't have anything worth value anyway, really, except my rich fantasy world. I've thrown in a few characters of my own just for good measure. This is my first attempt at fan fiction, and I hope it doesn't disappoint. Please read and review. Rip it apart, I'll love you for it. Have fun!  
  
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Sarah blinked frantically, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness surrounding her. She was outside, somewhere unfamiliar. A maroon sky spattered with glimmering stars spread out above her, but she didn't recognize any of the constellations. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a surreal glow down into the pathway in which she was standing. She looked around. Stone walls rose up to a tall height on either side of her, obscuring any view of her surroundings. Tangled branches lay on the ground at her feet.  
  
A cool breeze swept through the narrow passageway, causing goose bumps to rise on the bare flesh of her arms. Sarah reached up to pull her coat around her to ward off the chill, but it wasn't there. Glancing down, she realized that her clothes were changed. Instead of a warm winter sweater and slacks she last wore, there was a pair of faded blue jeans and a cream linen blouse with an embroidered vest. She vaguely remembered the ensemble as something she had worn once, but couldn't remember when.  
  
Strange, she thought. Where am I?  
  
Sarah turned down the way to her left, and then to her right, but saw no openings. Just cold stone that spread out as far as she could see in the dark. She began to feel a frantic sense of desperation.  
  
How did I get here? What is this place?  
  
Panic began to creep up from the base of her spine, but Sarah pushed it back down. Her fear wouldn't help her get out. She shivered involuntarily.  
  
Oh, damn. This is ridiculous. There has to be a door somewhere. I've just got to find it.  
  
She turned down to her left, beginning to walk cautiously down the path, silently reassuring herself that she would find a door quickly. There had to be a way out, didn't there? Of course. She walked slowly at first, and then nervous determination spurred her to increase her steps until she was jogging. Quick glances to her left and right revealed no escape. There were no openings. She stopped running.  
  
It just goes on and on... I'll never get out, she thought. Where the hell am I!?  
  
Sarah broke into a charging sprint, running down the passageway. Gnarled branches, scattered on the stone floor, threatened to trip her as she ran. But the view didn't change. It was just the same unchanging walls as far as she could go.  
  
A mysterious, infuriating sense of déjà vu possessed her and Sarah gave a frustrated cry. She threw herself against the cold, damp wall, collapsing into a crouched position, folding into herself as far as she could. This is not happening, she thought. I'm not lost! She stifled a sob. Cold, bitter tears stung her eyes but she wiped them away impatiently. She was trapped...  
  
No, she thought defiantly, I won't give up. There's got to be a way. Just then, she heard something.  
  
A soft rustling sound was echoing off the walls of the passageway. She glanced up and saw a glint of moonlight reflecting off of something. An object that was moving toward her down the path. She jumped up, flattening herself against the unyielding stone, silently willing herself to vanish into it. As her fear mounted, the shining object came into clearer view. It was a small crystal orb, and it was rolling quickly toward her, weaving from side to side as though it were consciously avoiding the debris that littered the passageway.  
  
How? Sarah wondered, perplexed.  
  
Her fear returned as she saw it was coming very fast, closing in on her with every second. She tried to shake off her paralysis, but failed to bring herself to turn and run as the crystal slowed to a sudden stop a mere foot from her trembling form. Sarah looked at it with an overwhelming combination of fear and fascination - wanting simultaneously to flee and reach down to touch the orb that stood expectantly at her feet. A penetrating sense of foreboding filled her.  
  
"It's a crystal, nothing more." A haunting voice came from the recesses of her mind, taunting her, mocking her fear.  
  
No! I am not afraid. Sarah thought. She stepped forward, away from the wall into the center of the pathway, regarding the item in front of her determinedly. She crouched slowly, peering into the depths of the crystal. There, floating within the orb, she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her. Fear shot through her and Sarah screamed.  
  
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A low screeching wail and a hiss of metal on metal echoed through her mind as Sarah jerked awake. Her eyes shot open, fear possessing her, hot adrenaline coursing through her veins. She stifled a cry, blinking her eyes thankfully while they adjusted to the harsh light that greeted her. She winced as she reached up to brush the hair out of her face.  
  
I must have fallen asleep again. She thought. But what was I dreaming?  
  
Her head was resting at a crude angle against the cold metal of the subway car. Her neck ached sharply as she raised her head to take in her surroundings. She tried to reclaim the memory of her dream, but as the veil of sleep left her it faded quickly away. What could have made her so afraid? Suddenly a raspy voice erupted through the quiet car "South Ferry. Terminating service. Exit to your right and stand clear of the closing doors." The doors were already open, faceless commuters shuffling out into the station.  
  
Damn, she thought as she launched herself out of the uncomfortable plastic chair and into the poorly lit subway station, barely escaping the car doors closing behind her.  
  
What's wrong with me tonight? She thought bitterly.  
  
Collecting herself, the trudged up the stairwell into the bitter cold of the outdoors. Pulling her coat tightly around her, she silently cursed herself for not dressing warmer. Northeast winters were unforgiving, and the last thing she needed was to find herself sick during finals. As the resounding horn of the departing ferry met her ears she broke into a frantic sprint toward the terminal.  
  
I can't miss this ferry, she thought anxiously as she began to run toward the glass doors. Up the escalator she ran, frustration overtaking her and she shouted to the attendant to wait.  
  
Sarah slipped through the metal gates, and sighed with relief as she walked onto the ferry's outer deck. She followed the throng of passengers into the interior seating area and settled down on the nearest bench, laying her briefcase down next to her and reaching up to brush a wayward strand of brown hair out of her face.  
  
Her senior year had been a whirlwind of pressure up until now, and she still had another semester to complete before walking at graduation in the spring, but this one had been the hardest so far. The demands of her classes and her internship had threatened to exhaust her. But thankfully now she was finished with that position. Today had been her last day of work. And tomorrow was the last day finals, just a paper and one more in- class exam to go. Saturday morning she would be home.  
  
Glancing at the watch on her wrist, she realized bitterly that she would get back to campus just in time to make her tutoring appointment in the library. There would be no time to have dinner before meeting with the student, and she had so much work to do on her final paper before her mythology class the next morning.  
  
A freezing wind came through the open door as others entered the interior of the ferry. It whipped around her, causing her to shiver. Reluctantly, she reached into her bag and pulled out a thin paperback textbook, worn with use. Pulling a highlighter out of the pocket of her bag, she tried to focus herself on the matter at hand. She could accomplish half an hour of studying before the ferry docked, a precious amount of time seeing as how much she had to get done.  
  
As enjoyable as her time her internship was, she struggled in an attempt to balance both that and her intense class load, as well. Finals were upon her and she hadn't had enough time to prepare. But the study of mythology held no fascination for her at the moment. It had been her least favorite class this semester. As her mind wandered, Sarah gazed up to the retreating city skyline before her. It was breath taking, and intimidating. Lights twinkled from the numerous windows of the high-rise buildings and the Statue of Liberty slowly drifted into her view. How would she ever survive in this world? Stumbling through hoops to graduate and find a job, entering the real world that, she knew could be a cold and merciless place.  
  
She couldn't wait to be back home, snuggling in her warm flannel sheets and drifting into a peaceful, worry-less sleep. She thought of her own room, the pleasant image in her mind making her smile. Realization dawning, she sniffed as she thought of the cold dorm room that awaited her back at school. Even that uninviting bed was very far from her right now, she thought. Hours away. She glanced at her watch again, not really seeing the time but somehow wishing that there were more hours in the day.  
  
Sarah leaned back and allowed her eyes to flutter closed. She began to drift, her textbook forgotten in the hand draped across her lap. For a moment she began to relax and let the real world float away from her.  
  
But there, lurking behind her closed eyelids were frightening dream images waiting to claim her. It was cold there. Dark. She felt as though she was being watched. There was a sudden resurgence of panic and with a sharp intake of breath, she shook herself awake.  
  
No! She would not allow herself to sink into that horrible dream, not again. She tried to forcefully banish the images from her mind as completely as possible, locking away the fear that haunted her. Think of something else! She demanded of herself. But what?  
  
She looked up, purposefully glancing around the ferry interior in a desperate attempt to find something to distract herself. Then she caught a glimpse of something that made her smile. Across the aisle to her right sat a little boy, about five years old. He leaned against his mother, snuggled warmly in a puffy jacket, his light blonde hair worn short. One small hand was clasped in his mother's. In his other arm he clutched a stuffed white owl. Probably an early Christmas present. Sarah sniffed.  
  
I hate owls, she thought grumpily, and dismissed the unpleasant feeling. He was such a cute kid that she couldn't help but feel happy. This little boy reminded her so much of Toby when he had been a little younger. She missed him so much! She and her little brother had grown so much closer over the years, as she had gotten older. She thought of how foolish she had been when she was a teenager; resenting Toby for the undivided attention her father and stepmother had given him when he had been born.  
  
How selfish I was, she thought. How could I have felt like that? Rationalizing, Sarah assured herself that it was her age, the loss of her mother and her Dad's sudden re-marriage that had caused her troubles accepting Toby. She had definitely been through a lot. It hadn't been Toby she was angry with, but everything else. Her world had changed in a dramatically a short time, and it had been hard for her to accept. But so much had happened since then. Her little brother would be nine years old pretty soon.  
  
Sarah fondly remembered her family's last Christmas together at home. Imagining Toby's wide, energetic smile as he raced her down the stairs of their home to open the presents that inevitably awaited them under the tree. Seeing clearly her father and Karen snuggling together on the couch, the living room illuminated by the blinking Christmas lights and a flickering fire. Giggling to quietly to herself when she thought of the way that her brother had filled his mug to the brim with plump white marshmallows, barely leaving enough room for the hot chocolate. She smiled again, the impersonal surroundings forgotten for the moment.  
  
Home. She longed to be back, enduring the good-natured nagging of Karen, her father's warm smile, and reading Toby his favorite bedtime story. He may have grown up quite a bit, but he was still not too old for his sister to read to him. It was one of their favorite things to do together.  
  
Soon enough she would be there, in less than a week. Just as soon as her finals were over. Sarah groaned inwardly. If I make it that far. She glanced reluctantly at the textbook that lay, forgotten, in her lap and picked it up. One step at a time.  
  
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	2. And the dreams continue

Trudging up the steep hill to her campus, Sarah sighed. The blustery winds caused the trees to sway and leaves to swirl around her. The road beside her was empty. It seemed as though everyone else had had the presence of mind to stay inside tonight. Except her, of course. When her internship called Sarah had to answer, but why the buses stopped running up the hill past seven thirty, she would never understand. The bitter cold air sneaking down her collar through the scarf she wore, making her shiver. How had it become winter so quickly? It seemed like the leaves had begun to fall just yesterday. Her semester had flown.  
  
She so desperately wanted to go straight to her dorm room, change into some warm pajamas and jump into her bed. It was such a tempting thought. But there was still her eight o'clock tutoring appointment in the library. Then she had her own studying to do for her last exam tomorrow night and the final mythology paper to finish. It seemed as though her responsibilities would never end. She just wanted to go home.  
  
Sarah turned quickly down a wide brick pathway, her arms wrapped around herself in an attempt at warmth that failed miserably. Bright spotlights pointed up, illuminating the nearly leafless trees on either side of the walkway, barely lighting the broad face of the Main Hall at the end of the path, casting odd shadows across the turrets. Off to the left, a warm soft glow emanated from the windows of the library that was her goal. It was just a little farther and then she'd be inside. A harsh wind caressed her neck, tousling her hair unmercifully.  
  
It was Thursday night. Her girlfriends were probably just starting to get ready to go out tonight, heading to their favorite local bar for a few drinks and a dance. Partaking in some much-desired relaxation from the end of semester pressure and one last night out with the girls.  
  
How I wish I could join them.  
  
For a split second she reconsidered her evening's plans, imagining herself out with her friends, blowing off her work and enjoying a night out for all it was worth. Well, realistically, most of her girlfriends didn't have a final paper due at nine in the morning. Most of them didn't have to depend on their measly tutoring paycheck to get them through the winter break. She furrowed her brow. Nope. There would be no lighthearted revelry for her tonight. Not with everything she had to get done before morning.  
  
Resigned to her fate, Sarah increased the pace of her steps. Dry leaves whirled on the path ahead of her, settling down into piles around the tree trunks on either side. The wind quietly roared, causing the leafless branches overhead to dip and shake. Moments later, she pulled open the glass doors and escaped into the welcome warmth of the library building, breathing a soft sigh of relief.  
  
From outside at a higher vantage point unreadable eyes watched her walk inside.  
  
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Sarah pulled the door closed behind her, struggling with it a little against the driving wind. Looking around, she saw that the library was packed. Every single computer was taken. Each with a frazzled looking student pounding away frantically at the keys.  
  
Well, Sarah thought, chuckling to herself. At least I'm not the only one that's a compulsive procrastinator. Suddenly she was very grateful to have her laptop. She could only imagine the computer center would be just busy.  
  
Walking past the circulation desk, she headed for the stairwell. There was a comfortable study area upstairs that was usually quiet, and that was where she had agreed to meet the girl. Looking around she saw that it was empty.  
  
Slipping her coat off her shoulders, she settled down onto a soft leather couch. Resting her briefcase down at her feet, she reached up to slowly unwrap the scarf from around her neck, folding it and laying it on the table beside her.  
  
Thank God for layers, she thought as she kicked off her boots. Still uncomfortably warm, she gracefully lifted the dark blue sweater over her head, stripping down to the black v-neck blouse underneath.  
  
Glancing up, she saw that there was no one is this part of the building except for Dorothy, the part-time assistant who closed up on Thursday nights. She was standing at the back of the floor between tall stacks shelving books, her tortoise shell rimmed glasses pushed down nearly to the tip of her nose. Sarah smiled warmly and called a greeting in the woman's direction. Dorothy looked up, seemingly surprised at the sudden presence in the room. Seeing that it was Sarah she smiled back and waved, before resuming her task.  
  
I might as well get a little studying done before that girl shows up, Sarah thought miserably. She pulled out her book and opened it, propping it up on the arm of the couch. Glancing reluctantly at the text, she groaned and laid her head back against the couch cushions, her eyes flickering closed. Just a 5 minute nap, she told herself, and promptly drifted off to sleep.  
  
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Reality shimmered and faded away, and in its place was music. A entrancing melody drifted on the air, enveloping and soothing her. Wondering vaguely where the music was coming from, Sarah opened her eyes. The vision she saw astounded her.  
  
She was standing in the middle of a sparkling crystal ballroom, decorated in lavish finery, in the midst of a crowd of masked dancers. There was a fleeting moment of confusion, but the sights and sounds of the room overwhelmed her senses, delighting her. All doubt vanished, and then there was nothing but curiosity and awe. She knew this place. She had been here before.  
  
White marble floors spread out before her, reflecting the shimmering light from above. Large chandeliers hung suspended from the ceiling. Each held white tapered candles with bright flames that flickered and danced, illuminating the room marvelously. Cheerful laughter could be heard over the sound of the music.  
  
There was an odd feeling, like a distressing thought passing through the back of her mind. She had the obscure impression that she had forgotten something very important. Had she been looking for something?  
  
No. Of course not. Everything was perfect.  
  
Sarah looked around, observing the crowd of people around her. There were couples dancing on the edges of the room, spinning and swaying in time to the song. All the dancers wore strange, extravagant costumes with elaborate masks of all kinds. Strangely exaggerated faces passed all around her. There were bizarre human faces as well as some strange creatures she had never seen before. As they swept by her some of the masked individuals regarded her with an air of curiosity similar to her own, all of them studying her just as she was studying them. Sarah was aware that she was being inspected, but she didn't feel intimidated. The observers didn't appear threatening, merely intrigued. She felt no uncertainty. She had a right to be in this place, in this moment.  
  
She took a few steps forward and felt a brushing sensation across her ankles. Glancing down, Sarah saw that she was clothed in a stunning gown. A dazzling array of gold and silver embroidery embellished the fitted bodice, with delicate seed pearls sewn into it. She ran her hands tentatively down the fabric across the low waist of the dress, grasping gently at the translucent tulle of the full skirt that careened down to the floor. The neckline of the gown lay just low enough to reveal the slight curves of her bust, rising up widely and angling off her shoulders, which were bare.  
  
She twirled around impulsively, feeling the skirt of the gown spin out and settled back at her feet. A smile spread across Sarah's face. She felt like royalty. Some of the spectators were laughing at her foolishness, but she didn't care. The entire affair reminded her of something out of the girlish fantasies of her childhood. But this was real.  
  
She sensed a strong presence behind her and suddenly the air seemed alive with energy. She inhaled slowly, calming herself, and it was felt thick in her mouth. The atmosphere sizzled with an aura of magic.  
  
The ballroom had grown quiet. She could no longer hear laughter coming from the crowd, but the music continued. She felt a gloved hand come from behind and caress her gently, tracing along the contours of her naked shoulder and coming to rest at the base of her neck. Sarah closed her eyes. The sensation of leather brushing along her bare skin was distinctly luxurious. Intimate. She felt a warm body step in behind her until it was barely touching her. A tingle of anticipation flared deep within her.  
  
"Sarah."  
  
A smoothly accented voice whispered softly into her ear. She could feel warm breath on the back of her neck, sending chills through her. She moved to turn and face the voice when the hand tightened painfully on her shoulder, stilling her attempt to spin around. Her body tensed as the hand shook her forcefully.  
  
"Why have you come?"  
  
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"Sarah, wake up!" A voice demanded.  
  
She sat up with a shudder, breathing heavily, her eyes wide. A soft, concerned face peered down into her own. "I didn't mean to startle you, dear, but you wouldn't wake up," Dorothy said, smiling. "I've got to close up now, it's past midnight."  
  
Sarah collected herself, impatiently brushing off the disconcerting feelings that lingered from her dream state. She shook her head wearily, suddenly frustrated with herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep."  
  
"No trouble for me, dear. Just finishing up here. You should go back to your room and get some sleep. You've been partying too much, I suspect." Dorothy smiled playfully.  
  
"Oh yes! That's precisely correct, I'm afraid." Sarah giggled. Like I have the time, she thought.  
  
"Well, no harm in allowing you a much needed rest. No students this evening?"  
  
"Well, someone was supposed to meet me. She must have forgot." Wasting time I don't have, she thought. Standing up and pulling on her sweater and coat, Sarah prepared to leave. "I guess I'll be going, then." Tossing her book into her bag, she lifted it to her shoulder and kissed the woman on the cheek gently.  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
Dorothy smiled. "Goodnight, dear. Get back safe. It's quite late for a lady to go walking about by herself."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Sarah reassured her, and headed for the doors. 


	3. Danger of walking alone

It could have been her imagination, but Sarah really believed that the temperature had dropped ten degrees in the time she'd been sleeping inside the library. It was unbearably cold and the air smelled thick like snow. She pulled her coat tightly around her, twisting her scarf around her neck and tucking it into her collar. I must remember to start dressing warmer...  
  
As soon as I graduate I'm moving to California, she thought. Thinking wistfully of the warm sun and white sandy beaches she saw on travel advertisements. And palm trees, she reminded herself. She couldn't forget the palm trees. Who am I kidding, she laughed inwardly, I can't even afford to get away for Spring break!  
  
Lost in thought, Sarah foolishly failed to realize that she was being watched. Two pairs of eyes regarded the girl as she walked alone through the trees. One with malicious intent, the other with distant curiosity.  
  
The brick pathway before her narrowed sharply as she passed behind building known as Main Hall, steadily progressing toward her dorm. Agonizingly cold winds battled for dominance in the corridor between the evergreen trees on either side of her. The click of her boot heels on the walkway echoed off the stone walls of the building. The eerie sound of the rustling of leaves caught up in the crosswinds behind her made Sarah uncomfortably conscious of the darkness of her chosen path. An unwelcome sense of insecurity had crept into her mind and she nervously quickened her stride, attempting to physically escape the feeling.  
  
This is stupid! She thought. I'm just feeling weird because of that stupid dream. She was slightly surprised that she remembered this one. It seemed to cling to her. A vague melody came to her mind, images of swirling dancers. And a voice, delicate and accented. Who had been there in the ballroom with her? She shivered at the recollection. The feel of soft leather on her skin. Slightly unnerved, she shook herself out of it, and once again became aware of her surroundings. The sound of her own steps followed her, echoing amid the sounds of swirling leaves chasing her, increasing her discomfort. I'm being completely ridiculous! She stopped and twirled around decisively, fully intending to prove to herself the inane silliness of her own fear.  
  
Sarah didn't have time to scream before she was struck. She didn't see the figure standing before her. Her vision reeled and blackness rushed in, electric pain registering and spreading unmercifully from where the blow landed, through her head and down to the base of her neck. She was distantly aware of metallic taste filling her mouth. Her knees gave way underneath her and she collapsed, tumbling in a heap to the unyielding bricks below. Behind her eyes she saw swirls of light amid blackness and all conscious thought ceased.  
  
The figure standing over her grinned wickedly, his dark eyes regarding her with patient malice. It had been so easy.  
  
From above, piercing eyes watched the scene unfolding with fury. This could not be allowed.  
  
A white owl swooped down from the trees above like a guided missile, swiftly zeroing in on Sarah's attacker, claws outstretched. The startled figure yelled out and threw his arms up in a futile attempt to shield himself from the creature that advanced on him in a vicious rage.  
  
"Fuck!" The man screamed, striking out uselessly against the onslaught of sharp talons slashing at his forearms. Deep scratches bloodied his arms. He was caught unaware as the bird altered its method of attack, beating him with its wings, batting away his pathetic attempts at defense and aiming straight for his dark eyes. It clawed and pecked at his uncovered face unmercifully. The man screamed as the owl found its mark, blinding him. Aware that it now had the upper hand, the creature threw itself deeper into the assault.  
  
Unbalanced, the assailant fell backward onto the sidewalk, his body landing hard next to the girl's unconscious form. His head slammed against the hard brick surface with a sickening crack. It's aim accomplished, the owl ceased its attack.  
  
It was then that it transformed.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Jareth was the only one left standing on the pathway. Two unmoving bodies laid on the ground before him. The bitter wind battered his still form, tousling his pale blonde hair. Tonight's dramatic events had certainly been an unexpected development. Considering his next move, he instinctively adjusted his black leather gloves, tugging them down further and stretching his long fingers into them.  
  
Had Sarah been awake to see her rescuer standing there, she would have quickly recognized his appearance from their previous encounter seven years before. His ensemble had not changed. Tall, black leather riding boots rose to just below his knees, where they met with tight, dark gray breeches, revealing lean, muscular legs. A white ruffled poet's shirt peeked out from under his black leather waistcoat, the neck of which was left open, allowing a glance of his signature pendant resting against his pale skin. A shimmering black cloak, billowing out behind him, finished the costume. Jareth looked every ounce the regal monarch and Sarah's flawlessly malicious Goblin King.  
  
Jareth looked down to regard Sarah's unmoving form and grimaced. Now that he had eliminated the threat he could tend to the girl's injuries. He could tell that they were, unfortunately, quite serious, but he was sure she would survive, as long as he healed her quickly. Her body laid in a heap on the path, limbs twisted unnaturally beneath her, her hair fanned out on the ground in a tangled mess. Streams of blood wound their way from her right temple down her forehead, dripping into a shallow pool that had formed on the bricks below.  
  
He stepped forward and bent down, peering into the woman's unconscious face. Her expression was serene in her unconsciousness, despite the violent attack she had suffered. The only signs that she was not merely sleeping were the rivulets of dark blood flowing across her cheek and brow.  
  
He was uncomfortably aware that she had grown even more stunning than the last time he had seen her this close, during their last confrontation. How he could remember the intensity with which she had once looked at him. Those serious green eyes, the depth of which had always entranced him, were momentarily hidden behind dark lashes. They had questioned and defied him with every glance. He could never forget her eyes.  
  
He brushed the blood-wet curls of her hair back, away from her face, smoothing it down and tucking it behind her ear. She was so beautiful. He silently cursed himself for allowing her to be so seriously injured.  
  
Enough, he thought. Sliding his arms beneath her, supporting her carefully, Jareth lifted Sarah's body from the cold sidewalk and into his embrace. Her head fell limply onto his shoulder, her hair creating a dark curtain around her. Her face rested in the hollow of his neck, dark blood from her wound smearing onto the ruffled neckline of his white shirt. He swiftly carried her away from the lifeless body of her attacker, walked off into the thick trees and disappeared. 


	4. The nightmare returns

Quick Author's Note: I apologize for the extraordinarily long period between updates. I've been swamped with school (ew, college) but it's spring break now and I hope to add a few chapters. Anyway, I hope I haven't angered you all so badly that you won't read any more. I promise I'll be better! Thank you *SO* much to those of you that reviewed. You're all wonderful beyond words. Please let me know what you think of the latest. And constructive criticism is completely welcome and encouraged!  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I still don't own it. None of it. I'm a poor, pathetic college student with a dream. Hell, Jareth won't even answer me when I try to call him. How's that for sad? Give a girl a break. Please?  
  
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Jareth materialized in Sarah's dorm room, her lifeless body still hanging in his arms. The room's cold, bare walls created a distinctly institutional feel. A simple desk and chest of drawers were the only items that filled the space. There was only one decoration that he could see, a framed picture of Sarah and a young boy, who he could only assume was her brother. The child had grown much older.  
  
The Goblin King felt a acute sense of dismay. This bleak room, completely devoid of all warmth and personality, was where his Sarah lived. He hadn't been aware. Bitter resentment had prevented him from looking in on her since the night she had defeated him. The night on which she had called her friends to her to celebrate her victory. She had not called him to her on that night. Of course not. Why would she ever wish to see the villain that had stolen her brother, the King she had vanquished?  
  
So Jareth had disregarded her very existence, trying desperately to erase the lingering memories of the girl and her time in his realm, refusing to satisfy the curiosity that blazed inside him. His bruised pride had refused to allow such petty indulgences. But over time that anger had faded.  
  
She had denied him three times, rejecting his generous offer of her every fantasy made reality. The King had vastly underestimated the girl's power. It had taken all of seven years to mend the damage she had done. He eventually accepted the outcome, realizing that she had been a merely child at the time, unaccountable for her actions, and that the stakes had been high.  
  
There had been no question as to whether she would refuse him in the end; there could be no other end to the game. Once he had realized the rate of her progression through the Labyrinth and her ability to gain loyal friends and allies along the way, he had known she would reach the castle despite his repeated attempts to thwart her. Sarah had been focused from the beginning, determined to save her brother. Jareth had known that.  
  
From the moment he saw her, he had known she possessed incredible strength. Her defiant eyes projected it to the world. He had not, however, believed at first that it rivaled his own. He had expected she would challenge him to get her baby brother back, but never considered the possibility that she would succeed in defeating his Labyrinth. It was inconceivable. Nevertheless, it had happened. His confidence had been shaken at that, alone. But he could never have expected the extent of the havoc she had wreaked upon his world, and his heart.  
  
It was completely unacceptable for him to develop affections for a mortal, especially a mere adolescent who had come to him because of selfishly wishing away a defenseless infant. It was unthinkable. But something about this girl had entranced him. No one had ever defeated him before, winning back a child. And such a defeat it had been.  
  
And now here he was, desperately attempting to protect the very one that had brought him to his knees. It was a position he has sworn he would never be again, yet here he was. She had made him weak. Once again he had foolishly allowed himself to become vulnerable.  
  
He had never expected to see her again, but somehow she had called him to her. Even he could not identify the nature of her summons, but it had come swiftly and with resounding power. He had sensed her will, a demanding echo in his mind, and it had drawn him to her instantaneously.  
  
He attempted to stifle a vague notion of hope. Perhaps she had desired to see him. Perhaps, after all this time, she had meant to call upon him. The very thought tortured and tantalized him. But the girl had always had high expectation of him. He felt thankful that he had been watching her, that she had called him. He considered once again the situation laid before him. He would heal her. Then he would test her.  
  
Laying Sarah's limp body down on the sheets, Jareth turned to attend to her wounds. Leaning over her, he tenderly placed his hands upon her, summoning the power within him.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Sarah's eyes fluttered open and closed. Seeing, but not quite registering images. She was aware that the room was cold, but didn't feel the chill. There was a sensation of warmth spreading through her body, obscuring the residual memories of pain and confusion. Her fingers tingled with it.  
  
There was a presence in the room, something alien. Something was wrong.  
  
Her mind cried out to her, pleading with her, urging her to react defensively. A blurry figure hovered above her. She had been attacked. She could recall the paralyzing fear but she perceived no threat. Instead, she felt safe. There were gloved hands touching her gently, protectively, one on her right forearm, the other resting lightly at her temple. It was a sensation she recalled.  
  
"Sarah." The presence spoke, coldly. The difference between the gentle touch and the harsh tone a glaring contradiction. The sharp accent, the air of arrogance, were unmistakable. The sound of the voice from her dream shocked her, bringing forth startling, unwelcome revelations. Her mind reeled.  
  
No. No, not possible. Her green eyes flew open, alight with shock and fear, blinking furiously as the room came into focus. Two clear, mismatched eyes gazed down upon her, filled with mocking curiosity.  
  
A name was suddenly leaving her mouth. One she had banished from her conscious mind, putting up defensive walls of steel around those monstrous memories. What had once been obediently forgotten was suddenly brought to life as her protective iron curtain came tumbling down around her. Her nightmare had come back with a vengeance, and was it leaning over her.  
  
"No!" She cried out as her alarmed thoughts caused her to stiffen, desperately attempting to throw herself up into a sitting position. The strong hands tightened abruptly, restraining her, pinning her on the bed underneath him. Panic seized her as she stifled the instinct to scream for help. She spoke again, stuttering, trying to utter words that escaped her, the phrase that would destroy the vision.  
  
"You. You... have..." The elegant face above her transformed instantly into a mask of detached malice.  
  
Still twisting and squirming in his grasp, she wracked her mind frantically searching for the rest of them, the right words. But the room tilted and swam. The nightmarish image blurred as the world descended into blackness, as Sarah's head fell limp onto her pillow.  
  
Jareth started, fearful of her sudden collapse. He bent over and smoothed her hair again, self-consciously. Abruptly he pulled his hand away, suddenly furious with himself and with her. She hadn't wanted him, this much had been painfully revealed from the terrified expression on her face. How irrational he had been. How idiotic of him to believe she had called him to her. And then a sickening feeling, the ultimate anguish, overwhelmed him. She had rejected him again. He had been a fool.  
  
His dispassionate mask returned immediately, along with the coldness. He could not give in to his feelings for her, could not allow his weakness to make him vulnerable once again. Jareth released her with irritated reluctance and stood. He sneered. All the warmth, all the affection he had held for the girl swiftly leaving him. No longer did he bother to control his seething disgust at Sarah's pathetic display of weakness. It was so unlike his Sarah, this fainting foolishness. He felt a peculiar sense of disappointment at being denied the thrill of such a confrontation. Their reunion had proven decidedly unrewarding.  
  
He grinned wickedly. The silly mortal had tried so desperately to use the words. She couldn't even remember them. That potent phrase that had marked his lowest moment imaginable, his greatest pain, and she couldn't even recall it. What else had the girl forgotten?  
  
How amusing. He could use this to his advantage. He could cause her to remember everything. All it would take would be a few purposefully chosen reminders, strategically placed. He would bring her fragile world crashing down around her. She would be easily broken.  
  
Poor pathetic child, he thought. It would be a bittersweet victory. She was so obviously weak, her confidence deteriorating. He had seen it in her eyes. Sarah was balancing precariously, dangerously close to losing that last degree of faith, and he knew another push would send her over the edge. But still that infuriating defiance still remained intact. She had tried to banish him, believing herself to have the power. She was as rebellious as ever. And as captivating.  
  
Enough. There was little point in allowing himself to be become displeased. This was just the beginning. She was alive, and would certainly remember this night, he would make sure of that. And now she owed him a debt and the game would resume.  
  
"Foolish girl, there is little use fighting the inevitable." He chuckled maliciously and vanished.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Sarah blinked, suddenly aware of bright, agonizing light filling the room. She turned over, sleep still clinging to her, when suddenly her mind leapt awake and she was frantic. What time was it? Her paper! She had her last class. Her final exam. She jumped out of bed at looked immediately at the clock at her bedside. Red numbers flashed 10:53. She cried out frantically in her mind, falling back onto the bed. She had overslept, completely missed her nine o'clock class.  
  
"Noooo!" She whined. But how? She must have forgotten to set her alarm when she got back, but she couldn't remember getting back. The last thing she remembered was leaving the library. Her head ached dully. What had happened? She wracked her mind, desperately trying to remember what had taken place. Assessing the situation, Sarah looked around her room, trying to think of the events of the night before. She saw that she was still dressed, her clothes wrinkled from the fitful night's sleep she must have had. Her bed was still made. She hadn't even bothered to pull down the covers. It was all too strange for her to contemplate.  
  
Her situation hit her painfully. What am I going to do? I didn't finish my paper. Sarah thought despairingly. Defeat setting in, she began to sob, crying frustrated tears into her hands. How could this have happened? She stood, wiping away her tears. She'd already missed her class. She'd just have to fix it. Her last exam wasn't until six o'clock. She had time to spare. She'd have to go talk to her professor immediately. He would have to understand, but she was unsure what she would tell him. She couldn't even understand the circumstances in which she found herself.  
  
She stood, walking toward her dorm room door, grabbing her towel and shower things on the way. She had to get clean and dressed properly, first. Her mind still searching madly for explanations, she reached for the doorknob and stopped suddenly. Shocked, Sarah stared horrified at her own reflection in the mirror. Her face dropped and her eyes widened, alarm causing her to cry out.  
  
Oh God. She was covered in dried blood. Its rusty shade colored the side of her face and neck and was crusted in the hair at her temple. Her hands flew to her head as she dropped the things she carried, running over her temple and down the side of her head, feeling for a hidden wound. After a few frantic moments, finding nothing, she began to calm. There was nothing there and she didn't feel any pain. There was no explanation for it. How? Where did the blood come from? What had happened to her? Had she been in a fight? Hit her head? What happened to me!?  
  
Sarah took her towel from the floor where she had dropped it and frantically attempted to wipe away the dried blood. Shower. I have to shower. Now. Throwing the towel over her head, she peeked out her door, checking that there was no one standing in the hall that might see her. They would have questions, questions she couldn't answer. She crept out of her room, closing the door silently behind her, hoping to attract the least amount of attention. Rushing to the bathroom, she snuck in and retreated behind the nearest shower curtain. Breathing deeply, she put down her things and leaned against the tiled wall. The bathroom smelled unpleasantly like stale bleach.  
  
Sarah was trying to calm her frenzied mind, trying to reassure herself, when she heard voices.  
  
"Sheryl, did you hear what happened?"  
  
"Oh my God, yeah. Can you believe it?"  
  
"No, it's insane. I always thought this place was safe, you know? Do they know who it was?"  
  
"That's the weirdest thing. He fit the description of someone the police were looking for."  
  
"Are you serious!?"  
  
"Yeah. One of Cara friends found him. She said it was terrible... I can't believe it."  
  
"Yeah, my parents are gonna freak." Then a blow dryer came on, drowning out the rest of the conversation.  
  
Sarah slumped down the cold bathroom wall. Panic consumed as her memories came flooding back. She was experiencing with fractured glimpses the attack the night before. The walk back to her dorm, her seemingly irrational fear she had felt, and the sudden sensation of being struck and feeling herself falling to the walkway. She started to shake, a sob rising as the back of her throat tightened. It had been her; the man had been after her.  
  
And then she remembered the rest. Waking, disoriented, in her room. Terror flowed through her as she saw those haunting, malicious eyes staring down at her. Her paralyzing horror at seeing the object of her past nightmares made manifest. It wasn't real. It couldn't have been real. She crawled across the damp tile floor into the shower stall, suppressing the urge to vomit, and reached up to turn on the water as far as it would go. She prayed the falling water would smother the sound of her crying, would wash away her memories. She curled into a ball on the cold tiles, still clothed, desperately praying for her mind to shut down and block out the images that assaulted her.  
  
"No..." She cried into her hands, stifling her sobs, trying to regain self control. She had made it go away. These things couldn't hurt her now. She had erased them. She was beyond them. "It's not..."  
  
She halted, stunned at what she had almost said. "Fair," her inner voice finished, reminding her of the words spoken in a time so far away from the present, in another world, by girl who had was a stranger to who she was today. She shuddered as she heard her own voice running the line, remembering the exchange that had replayed itself in her mind; the voice in her head that responded made her recoil. "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is." She cringed at the memory.  
  
The burning water battered her as she shrunk into herself, stilling the fear that reached up to possess her. She had sworn that she would never allow herself to be overtaken by those memories again. Not memories, she chastised herself, nightmares. Hellish concoctions of a fantasy-laden mind. But she couldn't deny it any longer. Her delusions had been shattered.  
  
It was real. She had been there. The Labyrinth. Images crept into her mind's eye, leering goblins and the figure of a man shrouded in darkness. Piercing mismatched eyes projecting an unparalleled cruelty flashed in her memory.  
  
"Sarah, don't defy me!" Her breath caught in her throat, as she stifled a cry. Not this, not now. She could not afford a resurgence of that fear, that uncertainty.  
  
No! I won't let it happen. I won't be a victim... I won't.  
  
Her life had changed dramatically after her experiences underground. After that final confrontation when he had tried to tempt her. She had succeeded in suppressing the memories, locking them away for so long, only for them to emerge from the darkened corners of her mind now, when she least expected them and when she was the least prepared to fight.  
  
Her friends had been a comfort for a time, allowing her to skirt the tenuous line between her residual fantasy life and her reality. Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus had proven true, coming to her in times of extreme suffering and joy – allowing her to indulge for a time. But they always had to leave her, had to return to their world from which she was excluded. The Underground.  
  
When she thought of how she had stopped calling on them, how she had abandoned her friends, a seething guilt began to surface. She had packed away her books and toys shortly after that night she had returned, striving for that real world that continued to elude her. Convincing herself that her time there had been a dream was a convenient way to escape the sway it still held over her. Panic threatened, bile rose in her throat, but she forced it down. Willing her strength to beat down the emotions that rose within her. She would not be overtaken by these fantasies, she would not submit to the influence they still held over her.  
  
"You have no power over me..." Her mind reminded her, echoing her own youthful voice saying the words. She had believed that at the time. She had willed it with all her being, praying the words that came to her would break the illusion, would free her and her brother from that terrible place, would take them from the danger in which she had put them. And it had worked, for a time. A short time, unfortunately, for she had felt those bittersweet feelings working their way back into her mind.  
  
She had considered wishing to return with her friends, to re-enter that world of dreams. But that could never be. Because he was there, the malicious overlord of the Labyrinth, always lurking there, just beyond her dreams. His cold, hard stare. His cruel tone lashing into her. She had thought for a time that she had destroyed him with her defeat, crippling him with her words. She knew, however, that her enemy, the Goblin King, had retained his control over his kingdom. Her friends had told her as much with their silence whenever she inquired as to the state of their world.  
  
She remembered Hoggle avoiding her gaze one particular night when she had called him to her. Venturing to inquire about the state of the Underground she had hesitantly asked him of the King, hoping and yet fearing her friend's response. His eyes had become dark and unreadable. "Doesn't matter," he had muttered, "things change, and they don't." His vague response led her to believe that he was intentionally evading the true answer to her question. Her intentions in doing this, however, she could not ascertain. After that he became withdrawn, muttering unhappily under his breath and deflecting any further attempt to ask his questions.  
  
Now the Goblin King had reentered her life, crushing her illusion of security completely. Why had he come back? To finish what he began so long ago? To torment her? Hurt her?  
  
Sarah cradled her head in her hands, the water burning her, soaking her clothes and hair. Steam rose around her like a veil. The words, she realized, she hadn't remembered them last night. She had tried, but failed. She hadn't been able to wish him away from her. He could still reach her. He could still reach Toby. She was paralyzed with fear. They were in danger again and it was all her fault. She had to go home, she had to protect her brother. She had to go home. 


	5. Homecoming

Another redundant note:  
  
See, another chapter. As promised. I am triumphant! Yay! So, yes. Here you go. I'm so good. Anyway. I'm done with the self-congratulations.  
  
Ego aside, I need your help, people. I am making a desperate plea. I have a few more chapters written that I am currently re-working. There's some really intense stuff coming up soon. And after that... Nothing. I need plot suggestions and advice. Sure, I have my own artistic vision. Yes, it's true that this whole fanfiction thing is a selfish endeavor. I have no illusions about that. But I would *greatly* appreciate some feedback. Where do you see this story going? Do you like the tone? How's the characterization? I am respectfully requesting your input.  
  
Also, I'm craving criticism. Please, please, please. If you read a detail that seems inconsistent, tell me. If I misused a semi-colon, correct me. I am a perfectionist and other author's mistakes irritate me. I assume other readers feel the same way. Let me know if I'm just insane.  
  
Um, sorry. One last thing. Oh, ye Gods, thank you to all the readers who have reviewed. Seeing a review appear in my mailbox makes me jump for joy like a little kid. From the beginning: tiger6, Sayanna The Rover, BalooFairy, draegon-fire, Blind Silence, Sahara, dreamer211, Little-Angel3, Pandora-Moo, if-666, and Xelena. You are all wonderful and each deserve your own crystal ball, complete with ballroom.  
  
Yeah, yeah. The disclaimer still applies. Now, on to the story.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
She was almost there.  
  
It had been dark for some time and the stars were peeking tentatively through occasional breaks in the clouds in the night sky. Sarah had left school as soon as she finished her last exam, driving dangerously fast on the highways in a desperate attempt to get home as quickly as she could. The sense of impending danger she felt increased with every single, agonizingly slow mile.  
  
After a few hours of driving Sarah finally pulled into the driveway of her childhood home, her carelessly packed bags piled high in the back seat of her car. The mere sight of the house, its wide, wrap around porch with windows brightly lit, brought tears to her eyes and a sense of relief to her troubled mind. This was the place that she felt the safest. She needed nothing more right now than the feeling of comfortable security that her home provided.  
  
It felt as though her heart had been pounding in her chest since that morning. She would begin to feel better only to have another memory surface, causing her to break out into a cold sweat. She felt physically exhausted from the constant fear. She knew that being home was the only thing that could calm her. Not that she was here those things would subside. Home was her sanctuary. Her safe haven. She could protect Toby here.  
  
The overwhelming sense of thankful relief washing over her reminded Sarah that things had not always been peaceful in this house. Her resentment at her father's remarriage to Karen and her jealousy over Toby had caused many painful arguments to take place there. Her mother's departure a few years earlier had shattered her world of child-like innocence, catapulting her headlong into a phase of angry rebellion.  
  
She had blamed her father for the divorce. Her Mom loved her. It was Dad's fault. What mother would choose to leave her daughter? She had idolized her mother throughout her childhood; completely blind to the flaws in the woman's character. Namely, her selfish nature. It wasn't until much later that Sarah began to understand the true circumstances of her parent's divorce, after she had spent years silently resenting her father, faulting him for their broken family.  
  
The truth had been much harder to accept than the fiction that Sarah had created. Her mother had chosen to leave to her husband and daughter to pursue her acting career. The pregnancy had been unexpected; the child conceived when her mother was beginning to gain recognition for her professional work. Her parents had married out of a misplaced sense of responsibility and the results had been disastrous.  
  
When her father remarried, Sarah had been crushed. Her dreams of her parents being reunited were destroyed and her anger was immeasurable. So began a the war, a struggle that had ended only after Sarah learned the real reasons her mother left. The truth changed Sarah's perspective completely. Acceptance had been hard, but the unexpected emergence of love and affection for her younger brother had transformed her. The relationship between her and Karen had improved immeasurably since then. She knew that Karen loved her father as much as he deserved, and that allowed Sarah to learn to love her as well.  
  
Sarah turned off the ignition and unbuckled her seat belt. Breathing a sigh of relief, she allowed her body to relax. I'm finally here. Everything's gonna be okay now. She thought. She grabbed her overnight bag from the passenger seat and stepped out of the car, hardly able to keep herself from running up the front steps of her home. She didn't even make it that far. Before she could even walk completely around the front of her car a chest- high, blonde haired form crashed into her full force, sending her back a few steps and making her drop her bag.  
  
"Sarah! You're home! I saw you through the window! Mom told me you weren't coming until tomorrow but I wanted to watch anyway." Toby cried, his arms tight around Sarah's waist, enthusiastic blue eyes staring up at her with excitement.  
  
"Oh, Toby." Sarah dropped to her knees and hugged her brother, immensely relieved to see that he hadn't been harmed while she had been gone. The doubts that had plagued her the entire drive home suddenly vanished as she felt her body relax.  
  
"You got so big!" Sarah laughed, pulling away to look at him, checking instinctively to make sure he was really okay. "What's Karen been feeding you?" She joked, poking the boy lightly in the stomach and tickling him.  
  
"A lotta macaroni and cheese!" He giggled gleefully and threw himself into her arms again, hugging her with all his might. Sarah smiled, her joy at seeing Toby causing her to forget all her worries. He was safe and she was home. Nothing could spoil this reunion.  
  
"You haven't been back since Thanksgiving! I missed you! And I'm off school soon!" Toby rambled excitedly. "And you gotta see this new game Mom and Dad got me. It's the best!"  
  
"Okay, okay. You can show me. I promise. Just let me get inside first, okay?" Sarah laughed.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Lemme help!" He grabbed her overnight bag off the concrete drive way, launching it over his shoulder heavily and sprinted up the front steps where Karen and her Dad were standing in the open doorway. Sarah walked across the porch and wrapped her arms around her stepmother, hugging her warmly.  
  
"Sarah, honey, welcome home!" Karen said, rubbing Sarah's back affectionately and kissing her cheek. "You're so early! We didn't expect you until tomorrow night. How are you? We missed you so much! Are you okay? How were finals? You look stressed."  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay, Karen. I left a little early. I wanted to be home." Sarah smiled at her stepmother and walked over to her Dad, who was grinning at her, and gave him a hug.  
  
"Hi sweetheart. I'm glad you're here. How was the drive?"  
  
"Oh, it was fine. A few flurries on the way, but nothing I couldn't handle."  
  
"That's my girl! Come in, sit down. We were just about to have dinner." Her father guided her inside and took her overnight bag from her little brother, who was unsuccessfully trying to half-drag, half-carry it over the front step. She was greeting with the familiar sounds and smells of home as Toby rushed past her and into the living room, launching himself energetically into an overstuffed recliner and picking up the game controller that rested on the arm of the chair.  
  
"It's a skateboarding game," he exclaimed. "Tony Hawk is the best skater in the whole world! He made the game! See!" Sarah watched as her brother punched a few buttons and the character on the screen jumped onto his skateboard and rode down a handrail past a set of concrete steps. "I get points for cool tricks," he beamed. A score flashed on the television screen over his character's head as it did a little victory dance. "Here, you try it!"  
  
"It looks very cool, Tob!" Sarah exclaimed. She knew she'd never be able to match her brother's skill at the game, but just giving him the chance to try to teach her would be fun. The last video game she remembered being any good at was Mario Brothers, back when she'd had the original Nintendo. "You'll have to teach me, but after dinner, okay?"  
  
"Aw, c'mon, just try for a minute, Sar!" Toby complained.  
  
"Listen, little brother," Sarah teased, "you're just gonna have to wait until after we eat. I've been driving a long time and I'm starved!"  
  
"Fine," Toby said, pouting just enough to make her laugh.  
  
"Don't worry, Tob. I promise we'll play as soon as we're done with dinner." Sarah ruffled his hair affectionately, messing it up enough for her little brother to protest, causing a pillow to be launched in her direction, which quickly turned into an all-out, no holds barred tickle war between the two rambunctious siblings.  
  
"What's going on in there!?" Karen called to them from the kitchen. "Come on, dinner's ready!" And the two siblings chased each other joyfully from the room.  
  
Once the family was seating around the dinner table, food spread out in front of them, her parents began politely questioning Sarah about school.  
  
"How was your semester, Sarah?" Her Dad asked curiously. "Did finals go well?"  
  
Sarah swallowed uncomfortably, dreading telling her parents about her unexpectedly miserable end of the semester. "Well," she began, "everything went pretty well. It was a really stressful, with my internship, you know. Everything turned out okay. Except... Except one class."  
  
"What do you mean, Sarah? What happened?" Karen asked tentatively, an undertone of alarm sneaking into her voice. This was not a good start to parental relations on the first night of her winter vacation. Sarah would never be able to explain the strange circumstances surrounding her failure. She didn't even understand them herself. She braced herself for a confrontation.  
  
"Well, there was this paper... and I didn't get it done, and the professor wouldn't take it late... and..." She stumbled. Not sure how to break the news of her disappointment to the concerned faces across the table. She knew that failing her Mythology class would jeopardize her chance at walking at graduation in the spring with the rest of the seniors. She had never failed a class before. Karen erupted.  
  
"What!? Sarah, how could you? You won't graduate!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Maybe we should discuss this later," her Dad interrupted with a frustrated sigh. He obviously didn't want to ruin the cheerful mood of the evening.  
  
"Sure," Sarah answered softly. She was saved, for the moment. But she knew the damage had been done, both with her parents and at school.  
  
"How's school, Tob?" She inquired, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the dinner table.  
  
"It's okay," Toby answered, less than enthusiastically. He was still watching his parent's dismayed faces.  
  
"Now Toby, you're doing very well," Sarah's father added, brightening slightly.  
  
Karen interjected. "But you have to be better about your homework. You'll be going into fourth grade soon and it's much harder."  
  
"It's not my fault," the boy exclaimed defensively. "It's so boring! The books they make us do reports on are stupid. And I like to read!" He declared, indignant. "I wanna read my own books. Adventures about monsters and goblins!"  
  
Sarah instantly choked on the bite of food she had been chewing and launchd into an uncontrollable coughing fit.  
  
"Sarah, are you okay?" Karen asked, offering her a glass of water.  
  
She ignored her stepmother's concern and rounded on Toby, throwing herself up from her seat at the dinner table and turning to face him, her face contorted with a frightening expression.  
  
"What are you talking about Toby? What goblins!?" Sarah was suddenly yelling at her little brother. The boy shrunk back in his chair, afraid of the disconcerting intensity with which his sister was staring at him.  
  
No, no, no, no... Her mind raced. This is not happening. Not happening. Not Toby. She silently prayed that he was talking about some new video game. Not something that had nothing to do with their dangerous past and the startling revelations that had come to her in the past twelve hours.  
  
Her brother looked at her blankly, obviously quite startled, confusion on his face.  
  
"No... nothing..." he whispered quietly, afraid of her reaction to his words.  
  
"Don't lie to me Toby!" Sarah cried, grasping her brother's shoulders forcefully, no longer capable of concealing the alarm in her voice.  
  
"SARAH!" Her father exclaimed, "What's wrong with you?" She looked up into the faces of her parents, both filled with shock at her reckless, seemingly unprovoked behavior. They, too, were standing up, watching the scene between their children with utter dismay. It was the reality check that she needed. Sarah mentally shook herself, smothering her fear. What was she doing? They would never be able to understand her reaction to Toby's mention of goblins. They must think she had gone insane.  
  
"I'm... I'm sorry." She released her brother and smoothed his ruffled shirt. "I don't know what came over me... I must be tired, I guess... Stressed. I'm gonna go upstairs." She hastily retreated from the kitchen, leaving her stunned family still standing around the dinner table.  
  
Sarah rushed up the stairs and escaped into her room, locking the door behind her. She collapsed onto her bed and buried her face in the pillows, counting on them to smother the sound of her crying. She poured out her soul, tears streaking down her face. She was emotionally exhausted.  
  
The constant dreams that had crept into her sleep each night had transformed into a more terrifying reality. Afraid to go to sleep, Sarah had resorted to every possible distraction available to her, but nothing worked for long. When she finally passed out, after hours of depriving herself of sleep, she would inevitably have the same nightmares. Voices and images taunted her, mocking her attempts to blocked them out. Cruelly reminding her that she was helpless to fight them. And now her nightmares had become real. They were threatening her family and her sanity.  
  
She pulled her blankets around her, willing the memories to disappear. 


	6. Returning strength and a missing book

Author's note: I am dreadfully sorry that its taken so long for me to update. Between college and an illness in my family I've been unable to devote any of my time to this story. I've missed it terribly and I hope that my few devoted readers haven't completely abandoned me. Thank you so much to those that reviewed and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter. As always, any and all criticism is welcome and much appreciate. I still need a beta reader, by the way. Any takers?  
  
Disclaimer: Um, it's not mine. pout

* * *

Sarah remembered this room. This was where he had toyed with her so cruelly, leading her on, finally trying to break her spirit. It was the last place she wanted to see again. A complicated network of staircases, framed by stone arches, stretched up to infinitely high ceilings accented by narrow ledges that dropped off into nothing.  
  
She had eventually realized where the peculiar imagery had come from, the print that had hung in her bedroom as a girl. It was impossible to navigate. It defied all logic. She knew this from experience. This was the place in which she had struggled to reach her helpless little brother, painfully aware of the gravity of her own mistakes. She knew that the responsibility for their entrapment laid with her. The childish jealousy and resentment that she'd clung hadn't allowed for love to grow inside her.  
  
She looked around the room, seeking out the antagonist of her nightmares, but couldn't see anyone. It didn't fit with her experience. He had to be there. It was his fault she was having these dreams, after all. She knew it was true.  
  
The silence was broken as Sarah heard an unmistakable gurgle from somewhere far below her. Looking down to the next ledge far below her, she saw a glimpse of her baby brother, crawling toward a stone staircase. He was chasing after a merrily bouncing crystal, unaware in his innocence of the danger that threatened.  
  
"Toby!"  
  
She took off running down the stairs before her, desperately trying to reach her charge, and quickly lost her footing. She fell hard, collapsing onto the cold stone at the base of the steps. The sudden pain and rising frustration had her crying.  
  
"No." she sobbed. She was filled with a sense of complete helplessness. For a moment, she was truly back in that time, filled with fear for the brother she loved and had wished away. It was her fault. She had done this. She would lose him forever.  
  
Then realization struck. _It's a dream. It's not real. Not this time._  
  
This time she was in control.  
  
Sarah stood, impatiently wiping away the tears trailing down her cheeks with the back of her hand. If this was her dream she could control it.  
  
She walked steadily toward the edge of the floor and peered down into the nothingness below her. There was a soft giggle from behind her, but she ignored it. It wasn't her brother. It was just a memory. A painful one. She wouldn't succumb to it. She had saved him last time and she would do it again. She was the only one who could protect him. Looking around, she searched for her challenger. He had been there last time and would show himself again. It was his creation, this nightmare. If it was a challenge he wanted, he'd get it.  
  
"Goblin King!" She shouted, her voice echoing back to her off the walls. "You won't win. You can't have him. I beat you once," she screamed, "and I'll do it again!"  
  
And she jumped.

* * *

Sarah was trembling when she awoke. Damp pillows informed her that she had been crying in her sleep. It had been another nightmare, but this time she had prevailed over it. He hadn't been able to hold her there and make her weak. This time had been different. Her strength was returning.  
  
Looking around her, she remembered with frustration the scene that had transpired earlier in the afternoon. It was night now, the light had disappeared. Her room was eerily dark.  
  
_This isn't happening again_, Sarah thought. _I won't let it!_ Since when had she become so afraid of everything? Was she really so weak, so controlled by own fears that the mere mention of goblins sent her into a fit of panic? What had he done to her? The bastard.  
  
She rose up from the bed, grasping for control of her racing mind, and reached over to turn on the bedside light. She wiped the remaining half- dried tears away and she stepped in front of her vanity mirror, critically regarding the image that stared back at her with revulsion. The woman reflected in the glass looked weak, defeated. Bloodshot, swollen eyes framed by tear stained cheeks.  
  
The image could not be her. How had she been transformed into this pathetic, beaten girl? Sarah straightened up, squared her shoulders and glared defiantly at herself in the mirror. _That's not me_, She told herself. _I'm not afraid anymore. I won_, she thought fiercely. _I played his game, and beat him. It was finished._ She sighed heavily. _So why isn't it over?  
  
_Her personal nightmares were one thing, she could handle her own fear, but Toby's mention of goblins had terrified her. Where had it come from? He couldn't actually remember that horrible night. It had been so long ago and neither one of them had ever spoken a word about it. Sarah always assumed that her little brother had been too young to recall anything that had happened to them.  
  
Had Toby found the book? No, that wasn't possible.  
  
She searched her mind, trying to recollect what she had done with her childhood things. She had packed them all up; her toys, books, stuffed animals, everything that had once been precious to her. They had been reduced to hurtful, lingering reminders of her past indulgence in fantasy; remnants of a dangerous pastime she had given up long ago. She had hidden them in a box somewhere in the attic, as far from her and her brother as possible. It could be possible that he found them, but unlikely.  
  
_I should have burned that goddamned book when I had the chance_, she thought. Was this another one of the bastard's manipulations? She had to be sure.  
  
Sarah crept out of her bedroom door and snuck down the hallway to the door that led to the attic. She could hear her parents downstairs in the living room. Faint sounds of the television drifted up to the second floor. She was sure they were furious with her. Between school and the performance earlier at dinner, her parents probably wished their daughter had never come home.  
  
Hoping to avoid being seen, she opened the door quickly and stepped onto the stairs, closing it silently behind her. Her hand searched for the light switch on the wall and flicked it on.  
  
Once at the top of the stairs, Sarah surveyed the room. She could see boxes and trunks piled high, dusty cobwebs and various other forgotten items. It seemed as though no one had ventured up here in a long time. Or so she hoped.  
  
_Now, where did I put it?_ She asked herself. Making her way carefully to the back of the attic, tripping over a few precariously stacked items, Sarah finally saw her chosen hiding place. It was a discarded wardrobe in the furthest corner of the room, covered in a layer of thick dust. She clearly remembered putting her box on the highest shelf inside it, pushing the offending package as far back as possible.  
  
She pulled open the doors nervously. Please God, she prayed, let it still be here. She looked up to the upper shelf and breathed a deep sigh of relief. There, shoved back all the way, was a simple, unmarked cardboard box. Sarah reached up, slid the package forward and pulled it out of its hiding place. Running her hand over the top, she discovered that the tape she had used to seal it up all those years ago was still intact, a good sign, but she had to be sure. Carrying the box under her arm, she left the attic and quickly retreated to her bedroom.  
  
Sarah locked her door behind her, making sure she would not be disturbed. Not that her family would want to see her anyway. Refusing to feel sorry for herself, she turned her attention to the task at hand. She eased the large box onto the floor and sank down beside it, regarding it with certain wariness.  
  
_Come on, Sarah,_ she thought, _you know it's still in there. You just have to be sure._ Reluctantly, she tore the tape off the cardboard and cast it aside. Slowly, she opened the flaps and peered down into the box.  
  
The first thing she saw, much to her delight, was a mint colored gown. A nostalgic smile appeared on the girl's face. So many joyful hours had been spent rehearsing in that costume, arranging flowers her hair and reciting lines from the stories she had loved. It had all been so innocent, those fantasies, until a malicious twist of fate had stepped in and ripped all the joy from them.  
  
She pulled it from the box and stood up, smoothing out the fabric, finding herself absently wondering if it would still fit. She walked to her mirror and removed her top, impulsively pulled the gown over her head. She tugged it down over her jeans and spread out the skirt. Regarding herself in the mirror, Sarah laughed. The silly dress still fit her. Granted, it was a bit more snug in the chest than it had been, but it was still beautiful.  
  
How ironic. She observed herself in the mirror. There was a woman reflected before her, and the fire was coming back into her eyes. She wasn't the same foolish, idealistic girl anymore. Now her dreams were nightmares and they were threatening her family.  
  
Sarah was suddenly struck with a powerful urge to protect her little brother. She could not allow Toby to be put in danger again. There was no guarantee that she would be able to keep him safe this time. But she would give everything to try. This game had to end. Now.  
  
_I won't give up.  
_  
A newfound bravery, a curious protectiveness glimmered in her eyes. "You won't take him again, Goblin King," Sarah declared to the empty room. "You have no power here."  
  
Turning back to the box that sat in the middle of her bedroom floor she proceeded to look for it, the book that had caused everything, the Labyrinth. She pulled out all the contents, stuffed animals and books, looking for the source of her nightmare. But it wasn't there. The dangerous little leather bound book was nowhere inside the box. Sarah was suddenly afraid.  
  
_But it was here! I packed it away!_ She thought frantically. _It has to be here._ She tried to reassure herself, looking through the scattered contents, silently praying she had overlooked it somehow. But found nothing.  
  
_Toby!_ She thought. _Toby must have found it. Or... Or maybe it was Him!  
_  
She arrived at a frightening notion. What better way to take his revenge on her than by endangering her family.  
  
_The goblins._ She thought. _Toby read about them in the damn book. That bastard is using him to punish me._ Sarah jumped up and ran toward her little brother's room. 


End file.
